Tooth Whitening

Everyone wants a bright white smile. Not only does it boost our own confidence levels but it also influences the way other people think about us. Studies have shown that people with straight white teeth are perceived by others as being more successful and smarter.

We can help you achieve a bright white smile with a range of tooth whitening options. Tooth whitening is when a bleaching agent is used to lighten the colour of your teeth. Factors that influence the colour of your teeth include lifestyle related surface stains (smoking, coffee, red wine), age, poor oral hygiene, medicines (tetracycline etc), dental problems (tooth decay, insufficient enamel, calculus, old/discoloured fillings), and excessive fluoride.

Whitening works best on tooth discolouration due to surface stains or age. If you are interested in whitening, discuss this with us and we will go over your medical and dental history in an attempt to determine the reason for your tooth discolouration and the best method to attempt to whiten your teeth. If you are suffering from any tooth decay or gum disease, we will advice that this be treated prior to whitening being attempted.

Whitening treatment will usually last from one to three years depending on your teeth and lifestyle factors. It can then be touched up as required.

In chair (with light)
A high intensity light is placed on the bleaching gel applied to your teeth in chair. This professional whitening treatment will take about one hour and we may need to do a further session in the future to get to your ideal preferred shade.

Take home kit
For a take home kit, we take a mould of your teeth and make a custom tray in the lab. We will then give you tubes of bleaching gel and instructions so that you can use the gel and tray at home at your convenience to whiten your teeth.

Internal bleachingInternal bleaching is a procedure we undertake for previously root treated teeth that have turned dark or discoloured from the inside. Firstly we will drill a small hole into the back of the tooth and remove some filling material from inside the canal space. Then we will insert the bleaching product and close the hole with a temporary filling. You will be asked to return in a week to get the internal bleaching agent removed. The procedure may need to be repeated to get to your desired tooth shade. Once complete, the agent is removed and a permanent filling is used to seal the tooth up again.Over the counter whitening kits are often cheaper than professional bleaching, but please be advice that many of them contain acids that can dissolve your tooth structure. Unsupervised long term use of such kits may cause permanent and irreversible damage to your teeth. Please see us if you notice any side effects from over the counter whitening products and please ensure you follow the manufacturers instructions. According to the Australian Dental Association, dentists are the only people qualified to make an accurate assessment of your teeth and gums and determine your need and eligibility for whitening treatment. Your gentle and friendly dentist will be able to tailor make your whitening treatment to suit your needs – for example, if you have very sensitive teeth we may recommend a more gentle formation or a specific type of whitening that is likely to reduce the sensitivity that may be associated with normal whitening products.